Gasket forming machine



March 8, 1949. J, RoBlNsQN 2,463,563

GASKET FORMING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 5'7 ill 1N VEN TOR.

March 8, 1949. ]RoBlNsoN 2,463,563

GASKET FORMINC MACHINE Filed April 30, 1945 .n 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

J. ROBINSON GASKET FORMING MACHNE ,March 8, 1949. Y

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 30, l1945 INVENTOR.

R0 infor) March 8, 1949. J. ROBINSON 2,463,553

GASKET FORMING MACHINE Filed April 5o, 1945. 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 g INVENTOR: dare/bf2 Fa/nf@ March 8, 1949. ,J, ROBlNsON 2,463,563

GASKET FORMING MACHINE Filed April 150, v1945 l 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 I,UNI-TED sTATEs PATENT orrlica l 'Y Gasxrz'r Fmzmomnn u l I Joseph Bbbinson, New York,l N. Y., assigner to the United States of America Application Amin so, 194s, serial No. 591,107

s4 emma (ci. .t1-ss) The present invention relates to machines for cutting or forming gaskets, and especially gas'- kets of circular cross-section.

It has been found that the conventional flat gasket.l when applied to screw plugs, often beat I', and may be'locked in itsoperative position comes twisted so that a tight liquidproof s'eal is rendered impossible, and this defect becomes even more pronounced in military operations where the gaskets are often handled at night without the benefit of artificial lights.

Gaskets of circular cross-section have hereto- -fore been made by a molding process which'is relatively slow, tedious and expensive, and which frequently produces an inferior product due to the formation of ilns" at the joints of the mold sections.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an automatically operating machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, without nns, and at a relatively high rate of speed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatically operating former for gaskets of circular cross-section which may be readily and simply altered to form gaskets of varying crosssectional diameters. A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description by lock' i". The hollow shaft 2 extends beyond the bearings 3, and in conjunction with the hollow mandrel I may form a conduit for the cuttings ofl gasket material by merely connecting'a suction pump or other source of vacuum to the outer end 'of the shaft 2 by means of a rubber l hose or the like.

The gaskets of circular cross-section are to be cut from tubes' of gasket material and one such tube B is shown as mounted on themandrel I.

The pivot 5' just referred to permits the plate 5 to be swung forwardly through an angle of about 5 so that new tubes 6 may be installed on the mandrel from time to time during the operation of the machine. The tube is to be fed along the mandrel I and beyond its free end in a step-bystep movement, and a pusher sleeve 1 is slidably mounted on the mandrel for that purpose. A keyway t in mandrel I and key 9 on sleeve 1 cause the pusher sleeve to rotate with the mandrel and permits axial movement relative thereto. The outer end ofthe pusher 1 is provided with a reduced portion Ill to receive the adjacent end of the tube 6, and the parts may be additionally l .1 is preferably provided with an outturned flange when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the novel gasket forming machine, parts being brokenA Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionalI View through the mandrel for supporting the v rubber tubing, and related parts, and

Figures 8 and 9 are plan and sectional views, respectively, of one of the gaskets cut by the present machine.

Referring to the drawings, more specifically and particularly to Figures 6 and 7, the numeral I indicates a hollow mandrel which telescopically engages and is welded to a hollow shaft 2 mounted in bearings 3. These bearings 'are mounted on standards 4 (Fig. 5) supported on the mandrel base plate 5 and the latter may be swivelled on the bed of the machine as indicated I2 adapted to be engaged by rollers I3 mounted upon a yoke carried by a bracket I4. The upper end of this bracket encircles a guide rod I5, and an intermediate part thereof is `provided with a threaded portion for cooperation with a feed screw I l, to which is imparted an intermittent rotary motion as will appear hereinafter. A handle I1 pivoted on the bracket I4 serves to move thethreaded portion of the bracket into and out of engagement with the feed screw, .i to thereby start or stop the feeding operation, las desired,

and to permit the quick return of the bracket to l the starting point. This particular mechanism` is old in the art and need notV be further described.

As the tube 8 is fed along the mandrel I a cutter or grinding disc I8 formed of suitable abrasive material or the like is intermittently brought into .engagement with the outer surface of the rotating tube 6 during the dwell periods in its longitudinal movement, so as to cut a series of annular grooves therein as indicated at the right hand end of the tube as viewed in Figure 6. The cutter I8 is mounted on the end of the shaft of motor I9, and the latter is fixed to and suspended from a plate 20 having a sliding dove-tail connection with a hanger 2l depending from the rods I5 and I5'. 4A cam 22 on shaft 23 cooperatone or more lsprings 25 serve to maintain the roller in contact with the cam and thus move the cutter away from the tube after each cutr Il. This cutter 21 is fixedv to the shaft of aA motor A28 suspended from a dove-tail plate 29 which is slidabiy mounted in a hanger 30 slidably mounted on the rods I5 and I5'. The plate 23 is moved laterally of the machine by a cam 3| corresponding to cam 22 for the outer cutter` I3, and a spring (not shown) similar to spring belt 46 associated witha pulley wheel 41 xed to the mandrel I. These pulley wheels are all of the same diameter so that the .*pporting ring or anvil 31 will be driven at the sehe speed as the mandrel itself, thereby avoiding any relative rotary movement betweenthe ring 31 and tube 6,.

The mechanisms for driving and synchronizing the various parts of the machine are old and well known in the art as evidenced, for example, in the patentto Hammond et al. No. 1,685,127, and a detailed description of such mechanisms .is ,thereforel believed to be neither necessary nor desirable. It is to be noted, however, that the serves to return the plate and inner cutter to p l inoperative position. The hanger itself, and the plate, motor and cutter disc carried thereby may be moved longitudinally of the machine by a closed or barrel cam 32 mounted on a shaft 33.

The cam 32 cooperates with a cam roller or fol- From the mechanism' thus far described it will be apparent that the tube 6 is fed-along the rotating mandrel I in a step-by-step movement motor,50 constitutes the main source of power, and imparts. the desired rotary movement to mandrel I' and gasket tube 4Ii, through pulley wheels 5I and 52 and belt 53. 4This motor also drives, through sprocket gearing 54 and-55, a Geneva wheel 56, which through gear wheels 51, 458 and 59 imparts the desired st'art and stop movement to the feed screw I6, thereby producing the-necessary dwell periods in -the longitudlnal movement of the tube 6 to permit the cutters I8 and 21 to perform their functions. The camshaft 33 is driven by the sprocket chain 55, and a gear wheel on this shaft meshes with a gear wheel on shaft 23 to operate the cams '22 and 3l.

and that the end of the tube will pass beyond the end of the mandrel. During the dwell periods the external cutter disc I8 will be brought into engagement with the outer surface of the tube and cut a rounded annular groove G therein as shown in Figure 6. As the tube 6 passes beyond the end ofthe mandrel the inner cutter 21 will be brought into engagement with the inner exposed surface of the tube 6 and form a rounded annular groove therein. This inner groove is in detail.

Certain refinements in the mechanism, whichV tend to promote ease of operation etc., but which are old in the art and form no part of the invention claimed herein, need not be described In the operation of the I4 is first moved to'its rearward position, as is .also the pusher tube 1., The lock or clamp 5" is next released and the plate 5 and related parts formed in the plane of the adjacent external' groove, and inasmuch as each groove has a depth corresponding to one-half the thickness of the wall of the tube, a ring or gasket A will be cut from the end of the tube, and will have a cir-- cular cross-sectional shape as indicated in. Figures 8 and 9. Upon the completion of the internal cut the disc 21 is moved radially away from the tube and then withdrawn axially from the. tube until its cam 32 againmoves it into the,

tube preparatory to the formation of another gasket. The completed gaskets mayl b e dis.

swung through an are of 5 to permit the placing fof a tube 6 of gasket material on the` mandrel I.

The rearl end of the tube is forced over the re duced portion I0 of the pusher sleeve 1 and a band of adhesive tape or the like II` may be employed to overlap the joint and form an additional securing means, if desired.' The plate assembly is then returned to its normal position and locked by means of the clamp 5".

The motors are then started, thereby rotating the mandrel I and tube 6, as .well as the cutters -I8 and 21, it beingunderstood of course that the cutters are rotated in' a direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the tube. The feed screw I6 and pusher 1 cause the tube to be fed forwardly step-by-step toward the cutters', and as the adjacent end ofthe tube reaches the external cutter I8 the series of grooves heretofore Vmentioned are formed in the outer'wall of the tube. The cutting position of the inner cutter 21 is slightly beyond the outer end. of the manthe end of the tube passes theV end of the man may operate, and to generally support the freel end of the mandrel, a rotatable ring 31 is provided for encompassing the outer end of the tube and the free end of the mandrel. This ring is mounted on a ball bearing race 38 supported on a standard 39 fixed to the base plate 5.

The ring 31 is preferably provided with an integrally connected pulley wheel 4I! with whichv is associated a belt 4I, driven by a pulley wheel 42 mounted on a shaft 43 supported in bearings 44 on the plate 5. The opposite end of shaft 43 is provided with a pulley wheel 45 driven by drel. In this cutting operation the ring 31 which supports the outer end f the tubevand mandrel and extends slightly lbeyond theslatter, serves as an anvil to support the free end of the tube when the inner cutter is applied to `the inner wall thereof in forming and cutting off the gasket.

. ',If it were desired to form gaskets having a different eros's-sectional area from that shown inmachine, the bracket those employed in the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment of the invention. but it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the operating mechanisms without in any way departing from the essence of the invention, and it is intended that all such alterations be in eluded within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for rotating the tube, and means for forming a series oi' aligned grooves in the exterior and interior of the tube, said means being constructed and arranged to form grooves of suiilcient depth so that the interior and exterior grooves merge to form complete breaks in the tube.

2. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material. and rotating cutters for forming annular aligned grooves in the exterior and interior of the tube, said cutters being constructed and arranged to form grooves with walls convexed inwardly and of suiilcient depth so that interior and exterior grooves merge to form complete breaks in the tube.

3. In a machine for forming gaskets of circula; cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for cutting annular merging grooves on the interior and exterior of the tube, and means for advancing the tube longitudinally step-by-step.

4. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for cutting merging grooves on the interior and exterior of the tube, and means for moving the first-mentioned means toward and from the tube.

5. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for cutting merging grooves on the interior and exterior of the tube,

means for moving the first-mentioned means to'V ward and from the tube, and means for advancing the tube longitudinally step-by-step.

6. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for supporting a'tube of gasket material, means for moving said tube axially relative to said mandrel, .means for cutting a groove on the interior of the tube, and means for moving the mst-mentioned means into and out of the tube.

7. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel lfor supporting a tube of gasket material. means for moving said tube step-by-step, means for cutting a groove on the interior of the tube, means for moving the first-mentioned means into and out of the tube and toward and from the inner wall of the tube.

8. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for moving said tube axially step-by step, a cutter for forming grooves on the interior ofthe tube, means for moving the cutter into and out of the tube. and a rotary cam for periodically moving the cutter toward and from the inner wall of the tube.

9. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material,

means for moving said tube axially relative tov cutter into and out of the tube, and means i'or moving the cutter toward and from the inner wall of the tube. i

10. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, inner and outer cutters for forming merging grooves in the inner and outer walls of said tube. means for moving said cutters toward and from the tube. means for moving the inner cutter into and out of said tube, andmeans for advancing the tube longitudinally step-by-step.

l1. In a machine for forming gaskets of circular cross-section, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material. inner and outer rotary cutters for forming merging grooves in the inner and outer walls of said tube, rotary cams for moving the cutters toward and from the tube, a rotary cam for moving the inner cutter into and out of the tube, and means advancing the tube longi tudinally stepbystep.

12. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, means for moving the tube longitudinally of the mandrel stepbystep. and means for cutting grooves on the inner wall of the tube. 13. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, a pusher sleeve keyed to the mandrel for cooperation with the tube, and means for cutting grooves on the inner wall of the tube.

14. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, a pusher sleeve keyed to the mandrel, means for moving the pusher sleeve and tube axially of the mandrel, and means for cutting grooves on the inner wall of the tube.

l5. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, an intermittently operated lead screw..

means threaded to the screw for advancing the tube axially of the mandrel, and a cutter for forming grooves on the inner wall of the tube.

16. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, means for advancing the tube step-bystep beyond the end of the mandrel, and means for cutting a groove in the inner wall oi the tube beyond the end oi' the mandrel.

1'?.\In a machine for cutting gasket material, a mandrel for slidably receiving a tube of gasket material, means for advancing the tube step-bystep beyond the end of the mandrel, a rotary cutter, and means for moving the cutter toward and from the inner wall oi the tube beyond the end of the mandrel.

18. In a machine for cutting gasket material, a rotatable shaft, a mandrel 'having one end secured to the shaft, said mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for moving the tube step-by-step along the mandrel and beyond the free end thereof, and means for entering said tube and forming grooves in its inner wall beyond the free end of the mandrel.

19. In a machine for forming gaskets, a rotatable member, a mandrel having one end iixed thereto, said mandrel adapted to 'slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for moving saidtube step-by-step beyond the free end of the mandrel, rotatable means for supporting the free end of the mandrel and the adjacent end vof the tube, and means for cutting a gasket from the end of said tube.

20. In a machine for forming gaskets, a rotatable member. a mandrel having one end iixed 7. thereto, said mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for moving an end of the tube beyond the free end of the mandrel, a rotatably-mounted ring for engaging and supporting said end of the tube, and means for cutting a gasket from the-end of said tube.

21. In" a machine for cutting gasket material, a rotatable member, a mandrel having one end fixed thereto, said mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for moving an end of the tube beyond the free end of the mandrel, a cutter for forming grooves on the inner surface of the free end of the tube, and a travelling anvil for supporting said end of the tube.

' 22. In a machine for forming gaskets, a rotatable mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for feeding the tube along the mandrel to expose an end thereof beyond the adjacent end of the mandrel, a rotatable ring having an internal diameter cor-- responding to the exterior diameter of the tube and encompassing the exposed end thereof, and a cutter for intermittently engaging the inner surface of the-exposed end of the tube.

23. In amachine for forming gaskets, a rotatable-mandrel adapted to slidably .receive a tube -of gasket material, means for feeding the tube along the mandrel to expose an end thereof beyond the adjacent end of the mandrel, a rotatable ring having an internal diameter corresponding to the exterior diameter of the tube 'and encompassing the exposed end thereof, a cutter for intermittently engaging the inner surface of the exposed end of the tube, and means' for driving the ring at a speed corresponding to that of the mandrel.

24. In a machine for forming gaskets, a rotatable mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for feeding the tube along the mandrel to expose an end thereof beyond the adjacent end of the mandrel, a rotatable ring encompassing the exposed end of the tube, a cutter for intermittently engaging the inner surface ofthe exposed end of the tube, and a driving connection between the mandrel and ring.

25. In a machine for forming gaskets, a rotatable mandrel adapted to slidably receive a tube of gasket material, means for feeding the tube along the mandrel to expose an end thereof beyond the adjacentend ofthe mandrel, a ring encompassing the exposed end thereof, a ball race rotatably supporting the ring, a cutter for engaging theinner surface of the tube, and

means for rotating the ring.

26. A machine including a mandrel adapted to support a tube of material, means for moving said tube lengthwise relative to said mandrel,

and means for cutting a series of annular grooves on the exterior of the tube, said mandrel being constructed and arranged to hold said tube suiciently rigid to prevent flexing of said tube.

27. A machine including a mandrel adapted to support a tube of material, means for moving said tube step-bysstep` axially relative to said mandrel, and means for making annular cuts in ,said tube. 28. A machine including a mandrel adapted to support a tube of material, a rigid vpusher for pushing said tube along said mandrel, means for operating the pusher step-by-step and meansl synchronized with the pusher operator for making annular cuts in said tube.

29. A machine including a mandrel adapted to support a tube of material, means for moving said tube axially relative to said mandrel, a cutter for making annular cuts on the interior of the tube, and means for moving said cutter into the tube to engage the interior of the tube for cutting.

30. In a machine for cutting rings from the forward end of a tube of material, a mandrel for supporting said tube, means for moving said tube vstep-by-step beyond the forward end of said mandrel, and means for cutting a ring from the forward end of said tube.

31. In a machine for cutting rings from the forward end of a tube of material, a mandrel for supporting said tube, means for moving said tube step-by-step beyond the forward end of said mandrel, and means for cutting a ring from the forward end of said tube, said last mentioned means comprising a cutter movable into the forward end of said tube.

32. In a machine for forming ring gaskets, a mandrel for supporting a tube of gasket material, and rotary cutters for forming annular aligned cuts in the exterior and interior of the tube, said cutters being constructed and arranged to form vcuts of sufcient depth so that the interior and exterior cuts menge to form complete breaks in the tube.

33. In a machine for forming ring gaskets. means for supporting a tube of gasket material, means for moving said tube axially, cutting means for forming annular cuts in the exterior surface of said tube, cutting means axially oilset from said first-mentioned cutting 'means for forming annular cuts in the interior surface of the tube. and means for synchronizing the movement of said tube and the operation of said cutting means whereby interior and exterior cuts menge to form complete breaks in the tube.

34. A machine including a mandrel adapted to support a tube of material, a pusher tube slidably mounted on said mandrel' and having means at its forward end for engaging said .first-mentioned tube, means for operating the pusher tube stepby-step, and means synchronized with the means for operating the pusher tube for making annular cuts in the first-mentioned tube.

JOSEPH ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 213,691 Reichardt Mar. 25, 1879 344,777 Griswold June 29, 1886 1,006,574 Lorenz Oct. 24, 1911 1,180,884 Schowanek Apr. 25, 1916V `1,227,304 Pedrick May 22, 1917 1,229,162 Starin June 5, 1917 1,519,754 Butler Dec. 16, 1924 1,555,853 Higgins Oct. 6, 1925 1,626,851 Madden et al. May 3, 1927 1,926,628 Morehouse Sept. 12, 1933 1,934,660 Fairchild Nov. 7, 1933 2,011,091 Steinbauer Aug. 13, 1935 2,122,204 Gora 1.--..- June 28, 1938 2,321,421 Rickenmann June 8, 1943 2,342,246 Brueckner Feb. 22, 1944 

